Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 29,810, Samuel French, Mass.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Miss
French Samuel
S 29 810
CONTENTS

Paid at the Treasury under the Act of April 6 th 1838 from March 4 th 1838 to the 12 th Octr 1838. Ag t notified June 6 th 1840
15. 9. 79 Massachusetts Sam French
at Norfolk in the State of Mass where used a Prowler in the Company commanded by Captain Hancock of the Btry commanded by 1st Lieut. Barron in the Mass A time for 15 mos & 27 days P.M. of Inf 8 " 4 3 " " " Artillery
Entered on the Roll of Napa chuset at the rate of - 86 - Dollars 75 Cents per annum, to commence on the 1 st day of March, 1831.
Excepts of Pension issued the 13 th day of May 1833 and sent E. S. Island Royal Navy
Arrears to the 4th of March 1833 $173.20 Gen. and allowance ending Sept 4: 45.67 $218.87
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. } Recorded by W. Adair Clerk, Book 1 Vol. 2 Page 5

Samuel French, Mass
14 06.
March 22 1833
P. 310
Matraps 8 Mar 1 day
Pack hfs 15 27
24 1/2
50 3 25 53 8.33 33.75 .42 86.75 33.75 E. G. Leland En.
Roxbury Mass 683
14 5 19

BRIEF in the case of  Samuel French  County of Norfolk  in the State of  Massachusetts  (Act 7th June, 1832.)
1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? open court
2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?
3. How old is he? 64
4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed.
   Period. Duration of Service. Rank. Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.   Years, Months, Days. As a Gen.     11. June 1779 3 Private Genl Hancock. Col. D. Barron   D. 1782 8 3 Mustang Genl Lincoln.  
5. In what battles was he engaged? No battle
6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Braintree Mass
7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? traditional, documentary - one living witness
8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? The papers are not attested agreeably to the regulations - nor the credibility of the witness certified - nor the official character of the magistrate
I certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
George L. Dyer
Examining Clerk.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
SECOND COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE,
May 21 st , 1842.
Sir:
Under the date of the 6th of April, 1838, entitled "An act directing the transfer of money remaining unclaimed by certain Pensioners, and authorizing the payment of the same at the Treasury of the United States," The administrator of Samuel Inpeck, deceased, a Pensioner on the Roll of the Massachusetts Agency, at the rate of Eighty Six Dollars and 75 Cents per annum, under the law of the 7 th June 1832, has been paid at this Department, from the 1 st of March 1838, to the 12 th October 1838,
Respectfully, yours,
William L. Gass COMPTROLLER.
To the COMMISSIONER OF PENSIONS, Present.

I David Lord of Braintree in the County of Norfolk and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, being at the advanced age of Seventy years, do testify and say that I was a Soldier in the Revolutionary War, and was stationed at Castle Island, during the the years A.D. 1779, 1780, and 1781, and that Mr. Samuel French, then of Braintree aforesaid was a Soldier, in the same Company, and did duty there during the aforesaid period of three years, and when and at the time I was discharged, from said Service, I left said Samuel French, then in the said Company, and believe that he remained there and did duty about four months after I left David Lord Signed in presence of
Minot Thayer
Norfolk ss. Braintree August 27 th 1832. Then the above named David Lord personally appeared and made oath to the truth of the before written statement as by him subscribed
Before me
Minot Thayer Jus. Peace
I hereby certify that I am acquainted with the said David Lord & that he is a credible witness. I believe fully of his facts
I believe fully of his facts
Approved by me I believe fully of his facts

Ms. A. 9. 2. 22
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, August 18 1832.
I hereby Certify, That, from an examination of the Books and Documents, relating to Military Services in the War of the Revolution, which remain in this Department, it appears that Samuel French enlisted in the Company of Matrosss commanded by Captain Amos Lincoln, December 18 th 1782, and served in said Company as a Matross or private till his discharge August 21. A.D. 1783 - Edward D. Dams, Secy of Com te .
I also find the name of Samuel French borne on a Copy of a List of Men who had done duty at Castle Island in Boston Harbor; which List or Roll accompanied a Warrant drawn for certain balances due to the Men named therein at the date of said Warrant, but does not particularly state the period or duration of Service. The date of s d warrant is Sept 3. 1783 - and the

balance stated as due to the him at that time is £12. The service was under Col. William P. Burke and it appears from the Records that said Burke was for several years a Colonel in the public service.
Edward D. Bangs Esq.

Daniel Frank 8872
Edwin S Leland

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
County of Norfolk ss. On this first day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two, personally appeared in open court before the Honorable Judge of the Court of Probate now sitting at Roxbury in and for said County, Samuel French a resident of Braintree in said County, aged sixty seven years, who being first duly sworn, according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th, A. D. 1832.
THAT he was born at Braintree on the eighth day of October A. D. 1764, and that there is a record of his birth in his family Bible : that he was in the United States service from the 11th day of December A. D. 1779, to the 11th day of December A. D. 1782, 3 years as a private in the Massachusetts Artillery : that he was residing at Braintree when he entered the service ; that he was a volunteer and served for the period aforesaid under the command of Capt John Hancock & Lieutenant Wm Burbeck
: that he marched from Braintree to Castle Island Boston Harbour : that he served with Col Crane's Regt of the regular troops ; and Col Crane & Major Pitkin of the regular officers were known to him : that he was in no battle
but not in writing : that he left the service on said 11th of December 1782 and that since the Revolutionary war he has resided at Braintree & Boston & that he has no documentary evidence of this service
ALSO : that he was in the United States service from the eighteenth day of December A. D. 1782, to the twenty first day of August A. D. 1783, 8m 3 days as a Major in the Massachusetts State Artillery that he was residing at Braintree aforesaid when he entered the service ; that he was a volunteer and served for the period aforesaid under the command of Capt Amos Lincoln (no regt) : that he marched from Braintree to Boston
: that he served with none of the regular troops ; and no regular officers were known to him : that he was in no battle that at the end of his service he received a discharge in writing which is now in his possession and left the service on said twenty first of August 1783
ALSO : that he was in the United States service from the day of A. D. 17 , to the day of A. D. 17 as a in the that he was residing at when he entered the service ; that he and served for the period aforesaid under the command of : that he marched from : that he served with of the regular troops ; and regular officers were known to him ; that he was in battle that at the end of his service he received a discharge and left the service on

He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State.
Samuel French
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year first aforesaid.
We Minot Thayer - residing in the said Braintree and Capt Samuel French - residing in said Braintree hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Samuel French who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be sixty seven years of age; that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a Soldier of the revolution, and that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn and subscribed as aforesaid.
Minot Thayer Samuel French Jr
And the said court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the abovenamed applicant was a revolutionary Soldier and served as he states. And the court further certify that it appears to them that Minot Thayer who has signed the preceding certificate, is a resident in the said Braintree; and that Samuel French Jr who has also signed the same is a resident in Braintree and a credible person; and that their statement is entitled to credit.
That the name signed to the certificate is the same as that of the deponent's hand writing That the name signed to the certificate is the same as that of the deponent's hand writing That the name signed to the certificate is the same as that of the deponent's hand writing
I Samuel H. Hawn , Register of the Court of Probate of said, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Samuel French , for a pension.
In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal of office on the day and year first aforesaid.
Samuel H. Hawn

29810 Rev y INVALID.
File No. 29,810
Samuel Merrill
His Rev War
Act: June 7 th 1827
Index:—Vol. 2 , Page 115
[Arrangement of 1870.]

8872
Samuel French
E. S. Leland Esq Roxbury Mass

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Samuel French which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? yy II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? yy III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason assigned for his not doing so? IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? yy V. Has he mentioned with precision the length of his service, and the different grades in which he served, in language so definite as to enable the department to determine to what amount of pension he is entitled? yy VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? yy VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? yy VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? yy IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? yy X. Is the Clerk's seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal? yy

 XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary service? no clergyman — yes as to others  XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it? no  XIII. If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had?  XIV. † If the applicant's name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service? If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath, certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses? no Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct? no  XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age, as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant's service? no  XVI. † Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? no  XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered? yes 
EXPLANATORY NOTES.
* QUERE V. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words: "Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B. who, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades; For _____ year _____ months, and _____ days, I served as a _____ For _____ months and _____ days, I served as a _____; and for such service I claim a pension."

It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which each applicant served, and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase about three or four months is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state they served two years in the militia, &c. without specifying the tours; the names of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is highly objectionable. It must in every case be clearly shewn under what officers the applicant served; the duration of each term of engagement; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil pursuit.
†QUERE XIV. Proof of Service.
In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of the claimants entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company, and line to which he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.
‡QUERE XVI. Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends of which must pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.
☞ In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, has no public seal of office, the certificate of a member of congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the papers.